Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 4, 1994 TAG: 9406070063
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A tourism and economic-development campaign for the city of Roanoke based on the theme: ``Murder-free capital of Virginia: a lifestyle not to die for.''
OK, maybe the more accurate theme would be: "Home of the gang that can't shoot straight." It's not, after all, as if some of the denizens of the city haven't taken their best shot at bumping off friends and enemies. Only poor brinkmanship and lousy aim have foiled some attempted slayings. And not everyone has moved up to the kind of assault weapons that help guarantee a trip to the coroner.
But ours is not to reason why. It's to happily observe that Roanoke, as of midday Friday at least, hadn't had a single reported homicide in 1994.
That's an excellent record for a city of its size - for a city of any size - and if Roanokers will simply refrain from killing each other for the next seven months, we may make the Guinness Book of World Records and even The Charlotte Observer.
Why, the General Assembly would probably pass a resolution commemorating us, and Gov. Allen would appoint a task force to study us.
Richmond, for sure, would finally have to show Roanoke some respect. That city, working on a new record-high murder rate - it last broke records in '92 - had had 74 homicides as of May 30. Recently, it had seven shootings in less than 12 hours (but only three of the victims died).
All kidding aside, five months without a murder ought to be a matter of local pride. Perhaps, as Roanoke officials reckon, it is mostly good luck.
But the city's murder rate has been falling in recent years, and credit must also go to law-enforcement efforts, including anti-drug campaigns that have reduced drug-related violence, and the COPE program (community-oriented policing) that's been focusing on several crime-prone neighborhoods. The police are entering into partnerships with residents to try to prevent crime, and their success is measurable.
Too, the good news on homicides is a tribute to the city's excellent hospitals and medical services. They've prevented deaths in numerous shootings, stabbings and other acts of violence that otherwise might have to be chalked up as murders.
And no joking: A low homicide rate, a low crime rate generally, in the central city will help the entire valley in efforts to attract visitors, conventions, new residents, new businesses and new jobs. We can live with that.
by CNB